We visited Talus Lodge in late July and had a truly unique experience. The lodge is somewhat new, having been built in 2003, and they're finishing work on a small "honeymoon" cottage about 50 yards from the main building.

There's only one way to get to Talus, and that's meeting the helicopter in the town of Canmore, just south of Banff. From there it's an absolutely stunning, 20-minute ride back into the wilderness, finally reaching Talus, and total isolation. Built on a small plateau at around 7500 feet, the lodge is adjacent to three postcard blue glacier-fed mountain lakes, and surrounded by steep faces and rocky peaks. We could hardly believe where we were. Views for miles, and the only sounds you hear are the three small waterfalls draining the snow into the lake, and the nearby streams cascading down the hillsides.

Now, this isn't the Ritz; it's a backcountry lodge. Yet if you're a hiker you've never had it so good. The rooms are clean, and the... more